
How to Use Markdown
Whether you're posting on Reddit, Discord, or Github, there's only one way to add formatting: Markdown. If you want to add a link, bold some text, or even split text into paragraphs, you will need to know the basics of this text-based formatting system.
Does that sound scary? Trust me, it's not. Markdown has just a few rules for formatting text the way you want, and you only need to learn the rules for the formatting you actually use.
Let's go over the simple rules, talk about why Markdown is useful, then take a look at a few resources you can use to go further with Markdown. The Basics of Markdown
Markdown is a way to apply rich formatting to plaintext by adding certain characters to it. On platforms like Discord or Reddit, where messages are short and relatively simple, you really only need to learn a few basics: To italicize text, put an asterisk before and after it, *like this*
text, put an asterisk before and after it, *like this* To bold text, put two asterisks before and after it, **like this**
text, put two asterisks before and after it, **like this** To include a link, put the text of the link in square brackets followed immediately by the URL in parentheses, [Like this](https://justinpot.com/)
To add an image, start with an exclamation point, with the square bracket containing a description of the image, and the parentheses containing a link to an image file, 
To start a new paragraph, hit Enter twice, so that there's a clear line between the current line of text and the next one.
The above five tips are more than enough for things like Reddit and Discord. Even though you're typing what looks like code, when your post is published, all you'll see is the rich-text formatting, complete with links and images.
If you're using Markdown to write entire documents, though, you're going to need a few document-specific tools. Here are the key ones: To make a header (like the large-font text 'The Basics of Markdown' seen above on this article) start a line of text with a pound sign followed by a space, # Like this.
To make smaller headers, use more pound signs, ## Like this for h2 or ### Like this for h3, and so on. The more pound signs you add, the smaller your header text will be.
To create a bulleted list, simply start a line of text with an asterisk followed by a space, * Like this. You can add as many bulleted lines to your list as you want.
To indent a list item, put a tab before the asterisk. To indent further, simply add more tabs.
To create a numbered list, start a line of text with a number and a period, 1. Like this.
To indent a numbered list item, add a tab before the number. To indent further, simply add more tabs.
To add a block quote to your document, simply start a link of text with a 'greater than' sign, > like this.
That covers most of what you need to know in order to write a document in Markdown. If you're confused about how this formatting will look, it helps to play around and see the results. A great website to do this on is MarkdownLivePreview.com. The left panel shows the Markdown while the right side shows how that will look. Try different things there for a bit and you'll feel a lot more comfortable. Why Use Markdown at All?
This all might have you asking: Why are sites forcing people to learn a slightly esoteric way to format text? And the answer is that this system, even if a little bit confusing at first, is very straightforward and clear once you get used to it.
Most people get used to writing on a computer using tools like Microsoft Word or Google Docs. There are both word processors, meaning they are built to represent a printed page on your screen. They also both are called 'what you see is what you get' editors—or WYSIWYG editors—meaning that the formatting is shown on the screen directly. If you bold some text, you see it as bold on the screen; if you add a link, you see the linked text get underlined and turn blue like it would on a web page. There is no way to tell, by looking at the text itself, where bolding begins and ends or what the destination of the link is.
This might seem intuitive, and to be fair there is a simplicity to it. But that simplicity is made possible by code that the user does not see, and the fact that the code is kept behind the scenes can be confusing in some ways. Anyone who has tried to add a few words to the end of a link, or right after a link, knows that this ambiguity can be frustrating—you'll end up either accidentally making the link longer than you intended, or doing the opposite and adding text that's not linked. This doesn't happen while writing in Markdown because you can clearly see where all the formatting begins and ends.
Markdown files are also future-proof. Because all of the text formatting, linking, and document structure schema is written in plaintext, a format that hasn't changed in decades and isn't owned by any one company, you can be reasonably certain that anyone who finds a Markdown file in 50 years is going to be able to make sense of it. The same can't be said about Microsoft Office files.
And, finally, there's speed. I personally find writing in Markdown a lot faster. I've used it for thousands of articles published online at many publications, including the one you're reading now. As I write, I appreciate that I can do all of my formatting without using menus and toolbars, and without even moving my fingers from the keyboard. As an editor, I appreciate knowing exactly where formatting begins and ends.
You can argue whether this is worth the trade-offs of the more familiar WYSIWYG editor, and many people have. But for many, myself included, Markdown is simpler to use while writing for the web. Apps and Resources
This article is intended as an introduction to Markdown, not a full guide. If you want to learn more, I highly recommend checking out MarkdownGuide.org, a website that takes the time to walk you through how Markdown works and why you might want to use it.
The real fun, though, comes when you start playing with Markdown editors. I mentioned MarkdownLivePreview.com, and that's a great starting point. There are also excellent editors for your computer. Typora is a very nice $15 application that lets you type in Markdown and see the formatting in real time. The very popular (and free) note-taking application Obsidian, which I personally use for writing and productivity, works the same way but with a lot more bells and whistles. Or, if you want something simple for editing single files, Markedit is quite good on the Mac, and MarkDownPad works well on Windows.
Learning Markdown is a bit of work up front, granted, but it can really speed up writing once you get used to it—and the right tools make it easier.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Miami Herald
4 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Squeaky Tesla Cybertruck Prompts Buyback Request from Owner
The Tesla Cybertruck launched with more hype than most vehicles in recent memory. Years in the making and wrapped in stainless steel, it promised performance, durability, and an aggressive departure from conventional pickup design. But it's facing a problem – primarily, pricing. Even with the most affordable Long Range version costing over $70,000 before options and credits, demand has not met Tesla's lofty forecasts. Sales in the first half of the year are down significantly compared to the same period last year. And then, quality issues. Several have been reported, but there's one that's getting traction among Cybertruck owners: a persistent squeaking noise – something that's apparently difficult to fix. In posts to the Cybertruck Owners Only Facebook group, user HR CG described an ongoing issue with their vehicle involving squeaky noises from the front left pillar. The noise appeared to originate from the windshield area. First reported in June, HR CG said service centers attempted to resolve the issue but to no avail. Other Cybertruck owners in the group reported a similar issue – all are in contact with their respective service centers looking for a solution. "After spending a total of 50 days in service-including 40 consecutive days-Tesla still hasn't been able to fix a persistent squeaking noise. They've replaced parts, added insulation, and tried multiple approaches, but the issue remains," HR CG said. HR CG noted that Tesla service staff had been responsive, but the issue remained unresolved. In their latest post, a supposed message from the service staff claimed that they reassembled the electric vehicle, but the squeaky noise remains. HR CG is getting understandably frustrated with the situation, leading them to other solutions beyond repair. "At this point, I honestly hope Tesla will either give me a 2025 replacement or buy it back at the original price," HR CG said in the latest post. HR CG's experience is not isolated. Other Cybertruck owners across forums and Facebook groups have reported their vehicles spending weeks – sometimes over a month – in service. Common complaints include rattling panels, inconsistent trim alignment, malfunctioning tailgates, and defective glass. One Reddit user compiled a list of known problems from early units, including electrical issues and extensive NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) symptoms. Some have described their trucks as essentially undrivable due to unresolved problems, with others posting photos of Cybertrucks on flatbeds headed for service. While Tesla has historically improved build quality over time, early Cybertruck adopters appear to be bearing the brunt of initial teething issues. For some, the novelty may still outweigh the flaws. For others, like HR CG, patience is wearing thin. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


The Verge
10 hours ago
- The Verge
Apple beta season is here
Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 91, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you're new here, welcome, how is summer more than a month over already, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.) This week, I'm pondering the leaked Pixel 10 lineup, marveling at BYD's leaping Yangwang U9 supercar, reading about why everyone's reading Reddit, already looking forward to Ted Lasso's fourth season, rewatching MKBHD's videos about the Escobar folding phone, melting with joy at the new Pokémon Concierge season 2 trailer, dreaming of buying the Lego Game Boy but not actually doing so because my toddler would destroy it, and listening to Lucius' recently released self-titled album. I also have for you some new betas from Apple, a retro-styled PC, some thoughts about cases, and how to play Dance Dance Revolution at home today. (As always, the best part of Installer is your ideas and tips. What do you want to know more about? What awesome tricks do you know that everyone else should? What app should everyone be using? Tell me everything: installer@ And if you know someone else who might enjoy Installer, forward it to them and tell them to subscribe here.) Thanks to everyone who replied to my quandary about whether or not I should keep using a phone case. There were a bunch of great perspectives and feelings, so I'm sharing a few of them here in the newsletter — a lot more people go caseless than I expected! As for my own decision? Well, I haven't reached one yet, and honestly, I may never pick one lane. Typically, my iPhone 16 Pro lives in this slim Torras case, but as I write this, it's sitting on top of the case, not in it. Will I put the case on before I walk out the door? We'll see! 'I, too, felt the urge to go caseless. I'm pretty careful with my electronics, so I still didn't love the idea of setting my phone down on tables and things alike. I got the magnetic back from Nomad, and it has felt like the perfect meet-in-the-middle accessory for me! Phone feels almost caseless, and I still get the back protection.' – Omesh 'I am totally the same with cases. I know I'll drop it once a year and totally ruin the thing and I hate that. What I do is take the case off when I'm just chilling at my desk or couch or chair. That way I get the joy of the smooth phone, but when I am in danger of dropping it on concrete or getting out of my truck, I have the protection it needs.' – Travis 'I ran my first gen Pixel Fold without a case (while living in a beachy resort town) for two years! If the Fold can survive it, so can a 16 Pro. The Fold is still alive and well as a secondary device/backup phone. Of course, it's definitely not pristine, so if you don't want your phone to bear its scars, you should probably keep a case on it.' – John 'I have the Peak Design GNAR case. Saw some complaints online about the protection being too minimal for the front of the phone, but it's been solid for me. Does well being outdoors (I run outside all the time). I'm rocking no screen protector.' – airwr3ck6669 'I never used cases until I got my current phone (Pixel 6A) because the Razer Kishi controller I used no longer fit snuggly around it, so I found a case that allowed it to fit again. I would say the case would eventually come off, but I only realized as I was reading this article that even though I no longer use that controller, I hadn't thought to take the case off.' – xPutNameHerex Today, I'm featuring Keith Broni, the editor-in-chief of Emojipedia. I thought of reaching out to him for this section after World Emoji Day on July 17th (the date shown on the calendar emoji), and he graciously replied. He initially got involved with the site in 2018 and took on increasing responsibilities 'over the years' before taking the editor-in-chief job in 2022. In addition to everything about his homescreen, I wanted to know what he's looking forward to in the world of emoji. 'I'm excited to see what the next unexpected emoji repurposing meme is going to be, especially as Gen Alpha becomes more and more online,' he tells me, like how Millennials repurposed the Eggplant and Peach and how Gen Z repurposed the Skull. Emoji fascinate me — full disclosure, I submitted proposals that helped bring the Saluting Face, Bubbles, Waffle, and Yawning Face emoji into the world — so I'm to share more of the emoji universe with Installer readers. Here's Keith's homescreen and his explanation of what's on it. The phone: Google Pixel 6. Like Molly last week, I'm an 'until the wheels fall off' type of person when it comes to my personal phone, though I use an iPhone 15 Pro for work. The wallpaper: A 2019 picture of me (I'm in all black, bar the white soles of my sneakers) wandering the grounds of the Zōjō-ji Temple in Tokyo, with the Tokyo Tower looming in the background. The apps: I also asked Keith to share a few things he's into right now. Here's what he said: Here's what the Installer community is into this week. I want to know what you're into right now as well! Email installer@ with your recommendations for anything and everything, and we'll feature some of our favorites here every week. For even more great recommendations, check out the replies to this post on The Verge, this post on Threads, and this post on Bluesky. 'I use Outplay on my Apple Watch to track the soccer matches I play. It shows a heat map of my movement during a match and has metrics specific to playing soccer like sprints. It works better for me than using the built-in Apple Workout app or Strava.' – Harry Tequila 'Been playing the macOS version of Cyberpunk 2077 on a base M4 Mac Mini. I am impressed with the game and graphic quality of this version. Just hoping this is the start for more Mac-native versions of A & S tier games.' – penguinchiller 'I just completed the (not so) Endless Tower in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and beat Clea... on an MSI Claw 8 with an Intel chip! Didn't expect that after panning the first Claw. It's the only handheld I've really enjoyed this game on so far!' – Sean 'I've become obsessed with the Twos app and using it constantly. Highly recommend!' – Rich 'After steadfastly avoiding it because of its difficulty, I recently purchased and have been dying over and over again in Returnal. The environment really does feel like a hostile alien planet, and with headphones it feels like I can hear every drop of rain. And yeah, it's really difficult.' – Aram 'Been playing Lushfoil Photography Sim and it is so relaxing and lovely.' – Allison 'I've been binging CityNerd on YouTube. The channel discusses cities, transportation, urban design, walkability, etc. Good stuff.' – low_light_mixes Last week, I included a tidbit from a reader who has been playing Dance Dance Revolution recently. As someone who played a lot of DDR when I was a kid ('Butterfly,' anyone?), I was curious to learn more about how he does it. Here's some of what the reader, Tom, told me — he also pointed me to a starter guide on Reddit: 'I'll start with acknowledging I am fully not an expert in the scene, but spent a lot of time in the local arcade and at home playing on a PS2 when I was growing up. 'I grabbed the Deluxe 1-inch thick foam pad from along with the extension cord and the preloaded Stepmania Flash drive. Stepmania is the open-source clone of DDR. People make their own stepcharts (the arrows that scroll up during a song) and make custom songs that you can download and load in, as well as songs from the actual DDR games. 'Someone who is really into playing may want to eventually invest in a metal pad, like what's in the arcades. They're super sturdy and will last for years of use, whereas soft mats could potentially tear over time. There are many manufacturers out there, and the price range is usually from $400 and up for the metal pads. People even buy old arcade cabinets for thousands of dollars and have them in their home.' Thanks, Tom! See you next week, everyone! Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Jay Peters Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Installer Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Tech


Time Business News
14 hours ago
- Time Business News
Scammers Are Getting Smarter: 2025 Crypto Safety Tips
There was a time when spotting a scam was easy — poor grammar, outlandish promises, and emails from obscure princes offering riches. But in 2025, scams have had a makeover. They're slick, convincing, and sometimes nearly indistinguishable from the real thing. As the world of digital assets grows, so does the sophistication of those looking to exploit it. Today's scammers are leveraging everything from deepfakes and fake customer support chats to deceptive smart contracts and verified social media impersonators. They're not just targeting tech experts — they're after anyone with a mobile wallet and a bit of crypto curiosity. So how can you protect yourself without becoming paranoid? It starts with awareness. The old 'send me 1 ETH and I'll send 10 back' grifts have evolved into something far more subtle — and dangerous. Scammers now operate through: Fake token launches that mirror legit projects, complete with whitepapers and influencer endorsements that mirror legit projects, complete with whitepapers and influencer endorsements Phishing emails disguised as wallet recovery prompts or exchange notifications disguised as wallet recovery prompts or exchange notifications Discord and Telegram impersonators pretending to be admins or support staff pretending to be admins or support staff Social media deepfakes, where known figures 'promote' sketchy coins via AI-generated videos And in some cases, the scam is hidden inside the very code you interact with. Smart contracts may seem legitimate, but signing them without reading the fine print can hand over unrestricted access to your funds. As these scams become more sophisticated, so must your ability to detect suspicious behavior. Here are subtle warning signs that still catch users off guard: Unrealistic returns – No legitimate investment offers guarantee 1000% profits. – No legitimate investment offers guarantee 1000% profits. Pressure to act fast – Urgency is a tool scammers use to bypass your critical thinking. – Urgency is a tool scammers use to bypass your critical thinking. Requests for wallet access or seed phrases – Legitimate teams will never ask for these, under any circumstances. – Legitimate teams will never ask for these, under any circumstances. 'Official' sites with slightly off URLs – A single letter off (like can lead to a dangerous trap. – A single letter off (like can lead to a dangerous trap. Smart contract approvals that ask for more than necessary — always check what you're signing. Being cautious doesn't mean being paranoid. It means being deliberate. You don't need to be a blockchain developer to stay safe. Some simple habits go a long way: Download wallets only from verified sources — avoid shady browser extensions or links shared in random groups. Before connecting to a dApp, check the permissions it requests. Use tools like regularly to manage existing approvals. Many phishing sites run ads and appear at the top of search results. Bookmark the real deal once, and avoid the guesswork later. If someone reaches out offering help — especially urgently — chances are they're not there to assist. Hardware wallets, such as Ledger and Trezor, keep your assets safe by storing them offline and out of reach of browser-based attacks. It's not just about what not to do — it's also about the tools that make crypto safer for regular users. A few worth exploring: ScamSniffer – Warns you about malicious links and phishing attempts in real-time. – Warns you about malicious links and phishing attempts in real-time. Chainabuse – A community-driven platform for reporting and checking scam activity. – A community-driven platform for reporting and checking scam activity. WalletGuard – Adds a layer of protection to browser wallets with smart monitoring. For simplified breakdowns of tools like these, resources like Your Crypto Buddy help bridge the gap between complex tech and everyday users, with safety always in focus. Crypto is no longer a niche — it's mainstream. And with that growth comes new risks. Scammers are adapting faster than ever, but you don't have to be left behind. The key isn't fear. It's curiosity. Be skeptical, take your time, and ask questions — even when everything looks legit on the surface. In a world where fraud hides behind sleek websites and polished branding, your best defense is still a well-informed mind. Because at the end of the day, staying safe in crypto isn't about doing everything right — it's about not rushing into the wrong things. TIME BUSINESS NEWS